Safety first

China is witnessing yet another Covid-19 wave. The current surge in Covid-19 infections in China is believed to be driven by Omicron sub-variant BF.7. Four cases of the BF.7 variant have been detected in India, so far. Two cases have been reported from Gujarat and two from Odisha. This sub-variant has already been detected in several other countries including Germany, Belgium, France, Denmark, The US and the UK. The BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5. It is a highly transmissible variant with a shorter incubation period. It also has a higher capacity to cause re-infection and can even infect vaccinated individuals.According to a study published in the journal ‘Cell Host and Microbe,’ the BF.7variant has 4.4-fold higher neutralization resistance than the original Wuhan virus. This means the antibodies from the vaccination are not effective enough against the virus.Symptoms of Omicron BF.7 variant. The new variant presents symptoms similar to upper respiratory infection including fever, sore throat, runny nose and cough. Some patients may also experience stomach-related issues including diarrhea and vomiting. This variant may not lead to any severe complication but can spread faster. Therefore, early detection and isolation are extremely crucial.